


Twenty Years And Millions Of Memories

by Lunardeityastrid



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Loss, M/M, Memories, Older Characters, So here we are, i don't really think there was a point to this but i liked it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28224291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunardeityastrid/pseuds/Lunardeityastrid
Summary: Written much like 'Where's My Love?' but without the heartbreak.An older Hal Jordan reflects on his youthful days and relationship with Bruce Wayne.
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53





	Twenty Years And Millions Of Memories

Thinking of earlier days, Hal moved slowly around the Manor gardens. His hazel eyes stared blankly as he got lost in old memories. Memories of youth, of himself with smooth working joints and less gray hair than he has now. They were days gone, days he slowly grew fond of. His fingers brushed against the well-trimmed and distinctly shaped greenery, the winds of a mild spring dancing through the branches. 

With a smile on his lips, he turned his head towards the billowing clouds, that varied in inorganic shapes. A perfect day for flying, he would have said in his youth. His fingers left the brush as he held himself. It was so quiet, so peaceful much like the last few years had been. Hal could remember when it hadn’t always been this quiet, when life was busting against the walls of Wayne Manor. When Alfred, God rest his soul, would chase away gardeners or reporters hoping for a desperate story. Or when the many kids followed around like ducklings. Hal never had children of his own but he considered each of Bruce’s his own. Damian, in particular, seemed to follow Hal closer than the others.

They all grew up, moved on, and lived their own lives. Hal and Bruce couldn’t have been prouder. They stopped by now and then, all smiles, yet grief for an absent face. 

Alfred went gentle, just as the weather shifted from a cold Gotham winter. He lived long and happy, surrounded by his grandchildren. He was so happy that Bruce had found someone to spend the rest of his life with, that Bruce put the cape and cowl away on a hook inside the Batcave. That Bruce, for Alfred's last wish, gave civilian life a try. 

In earlier days, they, Hal and Bruce, had been heroes. Living legends in a way, yet they weren’t invincible like the man of steel or wonder woman herself. After Bruce succeeded in unintentionally making Hal’s temples gray with constant bouts against Bane, Bruce looked at things through a different lens. Mainly because he could see Hal’s worry and the wear and tear on his body was beginning to slow him down

“Bruce, we’re not getting any younger.” Hal sighed sitting down on the king-sized bed. He was injured himself, a sprained wrist. Unlike most times, Bruce listened without putting up a fight. 

“I know.” 

“I’m being serious. I care about you and if something happens to you...I just want you to know that neither of us have to keep doing this. This isn’t how we have to live for the rest of our lives. You know, injury after injury.”

“I know.” Bruce said again, moving close to Hal.”So marry me.”

“Just like that?” 

“Just like that, Hal. You said it yourself, we’re not getting younger and I know I want to grow old with you.”

In short, Hal said yes. They were married a month later when Bruce’s ribs healed as best they could and he could make the walk up the aisle without any pain. It was a private ceremony, the kids and a few leaguers. Alfred officiated the ceremony on a warm day in June. Hal remembered so fondly the fireworks that followed the next month and the ones that the kids set off in the backyard. That was all nearly two decades ago. 

To Hal, his eyes fixed on the gold band wrapped around his ring finger next to the empty place where his lantern ring was once, it felt like yesterday. He could still remember how handsome Bruce was, how ironic he said it was that Hal wore combat boots with his tux. 

“I should have known.”Bruce smiled, his blue eyes staring intently at Hal’s shoes. 

“What?” 

“You can take a man out of the military but you can’t take the military out of him.” 

“Last I checked, I don’t make you address me by rank.” Hal smiled playfully, taking Bruce’s hand.

“You’d like that, I bet.” 

Hal laughed, not denying it. His smile faltered to appear a bit more serious.”We’re really doing this.” 

“You’re not thinking about leaving me at the altar, are you?” 

“No. Of course not. I love you. I’m excited. Nervous a bit.” 

“Well, that’s comforting. I love you too.” 

“I know.” Hal smiled gazing over Bruce’s tux, taking in his beginning of forever. He was much more than Hal could have ever dreamt of. In Bruce, he found a companion, a best friend.

Bruce still looked handsome, even with his graying hair and the crinkles around his blue eyes. Hal called them Bruce’s laughter lines, all the smiles etched into his face. With them, he was still handsome. Just like the days when they were younger. Hal couldn’t have been happier. 

He could still remember the first time he told Bruce those three little words. Those three little words that weighed the weight of Saturn's gravitational pull. They had argued a week prior. It was some stupid argument about a botched article in a tabloid. Something that had come with Bruce as part of the package, nosey lying reporters. A deep space mission with the Lantern’s put the conversation on hold. 

When Hal reached planetside, he flew straight to Bruce’s bedroom terrace, where the french doors were open, the curtains dancing in the night air. 

“I love you.” Hal said it without hesitation, without thinking, before his emerald glow diminished, before his feet touched the floor and before Bruce could give him a cold shoulder.``I love you and I can’t lose you. Not over something so pointless, Bruce.”

And the frustration between Bruce’s brow dropped, whatever they had said to each other was easily forgiven.”I love you too, Hal. Come in, I’m sure Alfred will make you something to eat.” 

There had been numerous arguments in their twenty years of marriage but nothing they couldn’t endure. The love was there, it never seemed to fade. Hal didn’t think it ever would, not with the way Bruce looked at him every night. Not with the way, Hal found more and more reasons to fall in love with Bruce. 

“Hal?” Bruce called hanging around the backdoor to the kitchen, his phone up to his ear. He mumbled something into the phone, an exasperated we’re on our way.

And Hal turned around, the same flyboy smile on his lips, the very one that had won Bruce over years ago. He pulled on the sleeves of his suit as he crossed the green grass back to the house. Bruce could feel his stomach twist this way and that, his eyes ignoring the combat boots Hal still refused to give up. Love never dies, and this was what Alfred meant. This is what he told Bruce he would miss out on. 

“Damian’s wedding is about to start. He’ll kill us if we’re late. Literally.” 

“He’s all grown up,” Hal said fondly, thinking about the little boy he once had chased up and down the stairs. 

“I know I haven’t been the best father to him but I-” 

Hal shushed him with a kiss. In their twenty years, Bruce doubted himself a lot and Hal always shut him down.”He knows you love him and that you’re proud. Alfred would tell you the same thing.” 

Bruce sighed against Hal’s lips.”I know you’re right. I’m sorry, I can’t help it sometimes.” He pulled back to see Hal’s eyes.”Shall we go?” 

“We should. Damian was pretty serious about being late.” 

As Hal and Bruce walked arm and arm through the Manor’s kitchen to the landrover out front, that had seen the many years of growing teens and road trips to California, he knew that one day he and Bruce, maybe on the front lawn with sprinklers going or during a lively gala, they would reflect on this day. The happiest day for their last duckling. 

Hal stopped Bruce before getting in the car. He didn’t say a word but leaned in to kiss Bruce. Twenty years and millions of memories. And even more to come. Hal couldn’t be happier. 

The smile, the wide genuine smile, Bruce wore told Hal silently that the happiness was unending.

**Author's Note:**

> So I got this book of vintage clippings and I'm basically going to use them for writing prompts. The one I used here was 'Thinking of earlier days...'(There's 522 of these 😂)
> 
> I feel like this one was a bit rushed but I do like how it turned out. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


End file.
